We Wish You a Happy Christmas
by Rena McGivney
Summary: Lily has always hated James. James has always been torn between loving and hating Lily. When a "Muggle duel" occurs between the two. severe punishments are in order- they must live together for two years. Can they survive it? R&R!
1. Breakfast and the Dream

Copyright 2003 Rena McGivney  
  
We Wish You a Happy Christmas  
  
~*~  
  
The Story of Lily Evans and James Potter  
  
Disclaimer: All original characters (i.e. anyone you recognize) belong to J.K. Rowling, the true crafty craftsman of the universe. However, the characters you DO NOT RECOGNIZE belong to me. I also own the plot. Don't touch it.  
  
Author's Note: Hi everyone out there! This is my first FanFic on this account, and my first ever past fic. I might make some errors and stuff as I write, so feel free to email me (silentwarrior4244@yahoo.com) with your corrections. I also hope for reviews.and just drop me a line if you want to talk. Now, I won't bore you any longer.I'll start off with the story!  
  
"Erlack! Really, Lucia, I don't know how you do it."  
Lily Evans was propped up on one elbow, lying in bed and facing her best friend, Lucia Mandarino, who was recounting her latest snogging session with her boyfriend and in the bed next to hers.  
"It's easy.although the tongues tickle at first. Really, Lil, you need a boyfriend!" Lucia said. She was reclining back on her pillows looking at the underside of the high canopy over her bed.  
"And just who would I go out with?" Lily said, rolling her eyes and flopping back onto her bed.  
"Uh.well."  
"DON'T SAY IT!!!" Lily hissed. "I DON'T WANT TO KNOW." And with that she drew her hangings shut rather hard and pulled the covers up to her chin, hearing an outcry of "OUCH!" and some curses from Lucia's bed as she banged her head on the headboard.  
Lily Evans closed her eyes, her dark red hair spread out slightly on her downy pillow. When Lily's eyes were open they would be a bright, sparkling green. The skin on her face was pretty clear and fair, except for a few freckles, which came naturally with such fair skin. When Lily stood she would be about five feet ten inches; tall for a sixteen-year-old.  
Lucia was the complete opposite of Lily. She looked as Hispanic as her name was: dark hair and eyes, kind of tanned skin, short and slightly stocky. She was pretty in her own way, with a certain kind of grace about her that Lily would never be able to achieve.  
As sleep came like a warm blanket over Lily, her last thoughts were about her friends. She had a lot: Lucia Mandarino, Molly O'Reilly, Laura Arthur, Hope Schafter.about all the Gryffindor girls and some boys from other houses. Most people thought it was odd that Lily wasn't friendly with many of the Gryffindor boys, but there was only one boy who wasn't a Marauder.  
What's a Marauder? Most people ask this question when they first hear the word. The Marauders were James Potter, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew. They called themselves "the Marauders" and were some of the biggest pranksters (and prats, in Lily's opinion) in Hogwarts history. She also thought they were the most annoying and arrogant people on the face of the planet. The only exception was Lupin, whom she pretty much trusted. Lupin was always absorbed in a book and was the least rowdy and stupid of the four.  
"Yes.he's a nice boy.." she murmured in her sleep as dreams finally came to her.  
  
Lily walked down a corridor on the seventh floor of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Looking around her, she thought she knew the passageway well but the portraits on the wall were different. Instead of a tiny knight with a fat dappled pony there was a giant chess piece, with a key next to it and some bottles and a club. She continued to wander until she came to the end of the hall. She had reached a dead end and the only painting on the wall was a new portrait( one of her and James Potter. He had his arm around her shoulders and she was looking up rather adoringly at him, her hand holding his. They were sitting on the ground and next to them was a basinet with a little baby in it.  
  
Lily jerked awake. Sun hit her face and temporarily blinded her.  
"Ah!" she cried out softly in pain. Rubbing her forehead, she climbed out of bed and opened the door leading down to the common room. It was empty except for the Marauders. The minute she came onto the steps Sirius burst out laughing at her hair, which was madly askew, and puffy eyes.  
"Oh, shut it, Black," she said groggily.  
"What? Did Ickle Evvykins have a bad dweam?" he whined, acting like he was talking to a two-year-old.  
"Didn't I tell you to shut it?"  
"Who was it about?"  
"Go away."  
She plopped down on a couch and took out a book, beginning to read it. Or at least, she looked like she was reading it. But her eyes weren't moving.  
"Hey Evans, the book's upside-down!" James Potter called across the Common Room to her.  
Lily glared at him but righted the book and really did read, although she wasn't taking in a single word. She was thinking about her dream and what it could have meant.  
And why did it have to be JAMES POTTER, of all people? she thought angrily. He's the most arrogant and annoying.not man.er.THING on the face of the earth!  
"Want to go down and get some breakfast, Lily?" a voice whispered in her ear.  
She whirled to her side and saw James sitting next to her.  
"Don't DO that, Potter. Er.why? It's only around six, probably."  
"Well, no one else wants to go. Sirius would rather girl-watch and Remus is absorbed in 'Silence of the Lambs' or whatever. Ruddy Muggle book, anyway, but you're the only other person I can think of. And no one will be down there since it's so early, so no one can make fun of you or tease you."  
"Er.well, when you put it that way.okay. I guess so. But no one sees this. Understood?" Lily said, getting up.  
"All right." James replied, rising as well and opening the portrait hole for her.  
"Er.thanks," she said awkwardly, not used to this kind attention.  
"I heard you mumbling in your sleep last night," James told her. "What were you dreaming about?"  
"Oh.uh, it was nothing." Lily exclaimed hastily, looking away and not wanting to tell James she had had a dream that they were sitting in the grass with their child.  
"You were practically shrieking. It wasn't nothing."  
"Oh.well.fine. I had a dream I was looking at all these paintings and I found one of the two of us.you had your arm around my shoulders and I was holding your hand. And.in the grass next to us.there was a basinet with a little baby in it. Our baby." Lily finished by looking at the ground with flushed cheeks.  
James cracked a wide grin. "So you had a dream that someday you'll be in love with me? And that was OUR little baby thing in the grass?"  
"Yes."  
"Is it ever going to happen?"  
"No.probably not.well, I don't think so."  
"Want to make it?"  
"JAMES POTTER!!" she bellowed. "YOU ARE THE MOST.MOST."  
"Handsome, charming, and sexy man you have ever met?"  
"NO!!! THE MOST ARROGANT LITTLE FREAK ON THE FACE OF THE PLANET!! YOU'RE A BUFFOON MOST OF THE TIME, AND THEN WHEN YOU'RE FINALLY NORMAL YOU RUIN IT! I WILL NEVER LOVE YOU! Now, if you'll excuse me, I probably WON'T be having breakfast with you." Lily finished coolly.  
"Wait.Lily, I." he said softly, but she had already turned and disappeared around the corner.  
"Hard luck.again.just when you were making progress." Sirius said, as James turned to face him, trying to look unfazed.  
"Oh well.I mean, she's just a girl, right?"  
"Prongs, old boy, I can see the heartbreak on your face. You need a new approach, my dear.come on, we'll go work on it."  
Sirius grabbed James' shoulders and steered him off towards an empty classroom, talking all the while.  
  
Well, what did you think? REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease! I really want to continue with this story and would like your input.or just saying 'Hi,".you know. Sorry if it was a little short, but it's 11:22 and I'm REALLY tired. Nighty night..  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Lots of love, ~*Rena*~ 


	2. Punishment and a Secret

bAuthor's Note:b Ooer.it's 7:58 and overcast and a tad cold even though it's summer.perfect writing weather!! Thank you SOO much to all the people who've reviewed me so far.keep it up!  
  
Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns all the original characters (i.e., anyone you recognize). I own, however, the ones you DON'T recognize Iand/I the plot. No touching.  
  
centerIn the previous chapter.center  
  
James cracked a wide grin. "So you had a dream that someday you'll be in love with me? And that was Iour/I little baby thing in the grass?"  
"Yes."  
"Is it ever going to happen?"  
"No.probably not.well, I don't think so."  
"Want to make it?"  
"JAMES POTTER!!" she bellowed. "YOU ARE THE MOST.MOST."  
"Handsome, charming, and sexy man you have ever met?"  
"NO!!! THE MOST ARROGANT LITTLE FREAK ON THE FACE OF THE PLANET!! YOU'RE A BUFFOON MOST OF THE TIME, AND THEN WHEN YOU'RE FINALLY NORMAL YOU RUIN IT! I WILL INEVER/I LOVE YOU! Now, if you'll excuse me, I probably WON'T be having breakfast with you." Lily finished coolly.  
"Wait.Lily, I." he said softly, but she had already turned and disappeared around the corner.  
"Hard luck.again.just when you were making progress." Sirius said, as James turned to face him, trying to look unfazed.  
"Oh well.I mean, she's just a girl, right?"  
"Prongs, old boy, I can see the heartbreak on your face. You need a new approach, my dear.come on, we'll go work on it."  
Sirius grabbed James' shoulders and steered him off towards an empty classroom, talking all the while.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Sirius pushed James down at a table in the room and then took the seat across from him.  
"All right. Now tell me what happened."  
James began to explain the past ten minutes and Sirius burst out laughing at some of what James had said.  
"Oh, that's a lot of help," James spat.  
"Sorry.it's just, no wonder she hates you." Sirius wheezed, wiping his eyes. "And the 'charming, handsome, and sexy man' part was rather funny.."  
"So what do I do now?" he asked, suddenly serious.  
Sirius stopped laughing abruptly and leaned towards James. "Do you really want to make this happen?"  
"Yes. Of course I do. You know I've practically IlovedI her since the minute I saw her getting off the Hogwarts Express!"  
"All right.all right.well, first off, you can't act like a stupid, arrogant and ignorant git. Which is how you act around her nine tenths of the time. Second, FLIRT, my boy!! Whispering in her ear was a good thing to do, but it's very basic and amateurish. Try something IupI a level or three.like.I don't know, but just watch me around girls, will you? And third("  
But he was cut off as Lily banged open the door, panting slightly and seething with anger.  
"I saw that note you left on my pillow. You're such a bastard!" she hissed, gripping the doorjamb hard.  
"What note?" James asked, bristling.  
"You IknowI what I'm talking about. Don't play smarmy-dumb-git with me."  
"I don't know what you're talking about, you Mudblood!!!!!!"  
Lily clapped a hand over her mouth. "What did you just call me?"  
"Lily, I didn't mean to, it just-"  
"Don't try that!!! I hate you!!" she screamed, charging at him and jumping, knocking him flat to the floor. She began punching his face, especially the cheeks and nose, and rather good and hard for a girl.  
"LILY! What are you doing?"  
"Shut up, Black!! Can't you see I'm trying to pound him to within an inch of his life?"  
"MISS EVANS! MISTER POTTER!" a voice shrilled in horror.  
Lily stopped, although she was still sitting on top of James, and whirled to face the doorway. James raised a bloody head and Sirius just stood there, jaws slack.  
"Professor McGonagall.I.well, this isn't what it looks like, I can explain."  
"Yes it IS what it looks like!" James cried out.  
"I think the two of you had better come to my office," the middle- aged woman said, walking over and taking them both by the backs of their collars and dragging them towards her office. Lily refused to look in James' direction and James kept trying to catch her eye.  
Upon reaching her office, she handed James a towel and instructed them both to sit in the chairs on the other side of her desk.  
"Now, what happened?"  
Before Lily could speak, James jumped on the topic and said his side. Lily scowled through all of this, still refusing to look at James.  
"Is that so, Mr. Potter? Miss Evans, your side, please."  
"Well, I was mad at James already because he's nasty to Severus Snape. James had offered to take me downstairs for breakfast and I agreed. I told him about a dream I had because he was in it, and he made a snide comment and I stormed off to my dorm. There was a note on my pillow that said, 'Dear Lily, I know what happened last summer with you and my friend. I'm going to hurt you if it ever happens again because you're a disgusting Mudblood'. So I went to confront him, found him in a classroom, he called me a Mudblood again and I got very mad.so I pounced on him.and.well.the rest you know. Or at least, you saw it." She finished and crossed her arms.  
"Well, you two, I've seen you since your first year and you haven't gotten along a single bit. Professor Dippet and I have devised a way for you two to finally learn to behave and respect each other and were saving it until something like this happened. You two have to live together for the rest of the year."  
Both looked at her, each one's face contorted with horror and disbelief.  
"That's not a punishment! That's torture!" James cried indignantly. "Professor, you don't know what you're asking," Lily said, shocked. "I mean, we'll murder each other!"  
"Which is precisely why we have a very special house for you to live in. There's a charm on it that can detect any kind of violence between you two. If you decide to have a Muggle duel, then severe punishments will be in order. You have all of tonight to pack; first thing tomorrow there will be a coach waiting to take you two to the house. You'll have to pretend to be Muggles- yes, Mr. Potter, that means you're leaving your wands here. The house is located on the outskirts of Poland."  
"Poland." Lily repeated, still horrified. "Poland. You're expecting us to live in iPolandi? We don't even speak the language!! What language do they speak?" she asked, partly to herself, partly to Professor McGonagall, partly to James.  
"Polish, genius," James mumbled, rolling his eyes.  
"Oh.right. Well, we don't speak Polish."  
"Wait." James asked, coming to a realization. "We're going to be spending the Christmas holidays there??"  
"Yes, I'm afraid so, Mr. Potter," Professor McGonagall replied without the faintest trace of sympathy in her voice. "Now I suggest you two go pack."  
Lily couldn't help but throw a dirty glance at James as the two walked out together. They both headed for the door at the same time and wouldn't fit through the narrow frame. Lily and James ended up squished next to each other.  
"Great." Lily said, although her speech was slightly altered as her cheek was pushed up and stretched her face.  
"You were the one walking next to me," James fumbled.  
Lily mumbled a spell and the two were blown from the doorway. "You can thank me later."  
As the two reached their dorms, they happily turned their separate ways.  
James banged open the door to his dorm, half unbelievably happy half extremely angry.  
Sirius Black, his best friend, caught the torn expression on his face. "What's up?" he asked, slightly nervous because he knew how James' anger could be.  
"Evans," he growled, flopping down on his bed and explained the story.  
"But you didn't write that note, did you?" Sirius asked, horrified as well. He was dreadfully slow most of the time.  
"NO!!" James bellowed.  
"Well, at least you get to live with the love of your life for almost ten months." Sirius cracked a wide grin.  
"I'm not smiling, Padfoot," James grunted.  
"I see.but I am. Here, I was saving these for Christmas but since you're going to be with ILILYI I'll give them to you now." He handed over a Discman and an assortment of CDs.  
"Er.thanks, but what are they?" James asked, being a pureblood wizard.  
"Well, I nicked a time-turner, went a few decades into the future, er.BORROWED these from a shop and came back. They won't work here, too much magic in the air, but once you get outside the Hogwarts grounds they'll be fine. The large thing's called a Discman- it plays those other round things. I'll write directions down for you on how to use it. The round things are called CDs.the people who made the songs on them are Daniel Bedingfield.Aerosmith.Sting and the Police.I think there's a Christina What's-her-face in there.just read the titles on their boxes."  
James studied them, turning them over in his hands. "Wait.how do you know this?"  
"Well, I went to America on a little trip.it was over the summer.and I went to this gigantic place called New York City. I.uh.you know, BORROWED the CDs and Discman and asked some people on the streets how to use them. Yes, it was a fun summer."  
"Thanks.I'll be sure to try them. DON'T FORGET THOSE DIRECTIONS."  
"Hey.um.James, before you go, I think there's something I should tell you."  
  
Author's Note: Well, I hate to leave you at a cliffy there, but I'll be sure to update soon.IF YOU REVIEW. I've had this part planned for MONTHS and it may come as a shock to a few of you.so GET READY!!  
  
33, ~* Rena *~ 


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